


Choosing a Path

by Oliver__Niko



Series: ToZ Anniversary 2019 [3]
Category: Tales of Zestiria
Genre: Epilogue, Gen, I finished Alisha's story about a month ago and whoop new things to write about, I'm a one person fan club who enjoys Symonne redemption, Post-Game
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-21
Updated: 2019-01-21
Packaged: 2019-10-14 01:36:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,818
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17499149
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Oliver__Niko/pseuds/Oliver__Niko
Summary: It is a little over a year since Sorey fell asleep. Symonne is still uncertain of how to live her life and has no idea how to live freely. Encountering Alisha Diphda, who is still grateful to Symonne, lifts a little of this uncertainty.





	Choosing a Path

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my oneshot for day 4! I believe that this is my first time including Symonne in a oneshot? I usually give her rather major roles in my large fics, but not so much oneshots. I enjoy writing her and had to include her somewhere in this week, meaning this oneshot doesn't quite go with today's prompt.
> 
> Regardless, I hope you enjoy!

All but the sounds of wind and woodland critters is silent in Volgran Forest. The girl’s footsteps are equally silent as she wanders through aimlessly. Her fingers tuck dark strands of hair behind her ear, eyes fixed on the ground.

Symonne’s heart has been confused for a number of months. Confused, yet also empty as well. Even now, she is still questioning everything. Heldalf has been defeated. Her temporary alliance with Lunarre has come to an end. What else is there for her now? Of course, she has the option to interfere with the new Shepherd’s journey, but somehow, even after her previous toying with that group, she finds that the thought of doing anything else now isn’t all that satisfying.

Something has changed. Her deep loneliness from losing her master has brought her to different realisations. That for the longest time, she has barely been living for herself at all. A thirst for the world to end might seem gigantic. But in the end, it had been a fruitless desire which would have likely brought little satisfaction had it happened.

Symonne bets that Alisha Diphda hasn’t helped with this, either. She had been convinced that conjuring an illusion of the knight’s previously beloved mentor would have got into that girl’s head. Perhaps, for a moment, it did. But in the end, Alisha thanked Symonne. She _thanked_ her. And those words, which had been far too genuine, have stuck with Symonne ever since. She cannot stop thinking about Alisha’s resolve.

The silence of the forest is soon broken. Symonne looks up as she hears voices and footsteps nearby. Her eyes land on the blue uniform she knows belongs to Hyland knights. They widen as she sees that the same princess which burdens her thoughts is with them also.

Alisha is laughing. Kind-hearted as ever, it seems. She shakes her head in what appears to be disbelief. Then her own eyes find Symonne, and her laughter is replaced by a look of surprise. The knights with her look at her in concern.

“What is the matter, your highness?” one asks.

“I, um,” she replies hesitantly. “There’s a seraph. One that I know.”

“Would you like to speak to them?”

‘ _As if she would,’_ Symonne thinks to herself, about to walk away.

“I … Yes. Please hold on a moment.”

‘ _Wait, no!’_ The last thing that Symonne wants is to speak to _her._ That’ll only increase these puzzling emotions further. She goes to walk away, hoping that Alisha will give up on her if she sees that Symonne has her back to her, but of course, Symonne cannot get away that easily.

“Um … It’s Symonne, isn’t it?”

“What do you want?” asks Symonne coldly, turning to face Alisha. The latter doesn’t seem put off by the guarded attitude.

“It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you. I suppose I wanted to talk to you,” she says. It isn’t until Alisha is stood in front of Symonne that she realises she stopped walking.

“You can still see seraphim,” Symonne ends up responding, meeting Alisha’s eyes. She receives a nod and smile.

“Yes, that is right. I’m still Rose’s squire, you see, which allows me to see seraphim.”

“But you’re not with her.”

“I am still fulfilling my duties as knight,” says Alisha. She glances back over at her fellow knights fondly, who sit together on a log in order to drink something together. “But alongside that, I want to experience the world as both a squire, yet also myself, as an ordinary girl. This world is a vast and incredible place. I would be very unsatisfied to not experience it to the best of my abilities.”

“How noble of you,” says Symonne sarcastically. She grows irritated when rather than seem offended, Alisha simply lets out a small sigh.

“I’m sorry, I must have done something which makes you so hostile towards me.”

“Wh-What? How?” Symonne’s annoyance increases. “Oh, marvellous. Now I have insinuated it is _my_ fault, when I simply despise all of you.”

“And why is that?” Alisha asks. Symonne glares, before she simply begins to walk away. “H-Hey, don’t ignore me!”

“You all took everything from me,” Symonne snaps. “You talked of reason, of justice, twisting those words into what _you_ believed. Purifying malevolence and stopping the Lord of Calamity. That is the game you all played, caring little about the lives you affected in the process.”

Alisha shakes her head. “I may have not been with Sorey for long. However, I know that he cares deeply for others.”

“His journey was for himself, his own passions.”

“Maybe so. But that will never discredit the same passion for people’s lives. And I know that should you have reached out to him and the others, they would have helped you.”

The words make Symonne think back to the day that they defeated her. When the party wanted to help her tread on her own path, find her own happiness, even if it meant staying in the darkness. The memory of their offers only brings her fury.

Although deep down, she knows that she cannot deny the small fragment of gratitude, how part of her wanted to walk with others.

“And I personally am very much thankful for you,” Alisha continues.

“I still believe that is insanity,” Symonne says. “I tried to _kill_ you.”

“No, Lailah told me you made an oath in which you could never kill anyone.”

Symonne’s head swivels around to her. “How did she know about that?”

“Lailah herself has made an oath. I think that would make her understand them better.” Alisha’s smile returns. “I know that it is silly to believe your intentions were to help. I know that you wished to get inside my head. But you ended up doing that in a way which truly helped me, allow me to move on from Maltran’s death. I truly am grateful for that.”

“You’re – you weren’t supposed to be!” Symonne exclaims.

“But I am, and no matter how much that may anger you, it is the truth.”

Symonne grows silent. She hates those friendly eyes, the patience and kindness in Alisha’s voice. Yet she also finds herself drawn to it. Being treated kindly is something she isn’t accustomed to.

“Fine. Be grateful all you like. But that changes nothing about me.”

“I think of you differently than you see yourself,” says Alisha. “Symonne, I think that there is a side to you waiting to come out. A side which wants friendship, true happiness. Why is it that you’re so hesitant?”

“I don’t want any of that,” Symonne responds quietly.

“I know that is a lie.”

Silence falls. Symonne’s tongue runs over her lips. Her heart feels as though it is going to burst, secrets she has never spilled waiting to be released. “I’ve never been truly free,” she ends up saying, her voice still quiet. “I was once tethered to an exorcist many years ago, stripped of my own free will. Once I escaped that life, I never had a path to take. No friends, family, destinations. It wasn’t until I met Heldalf that I felt a purpose to live again. I wanted to fight against the world which had always been after me in return.”

“And now Heldalf is gone, you don’t know where to go,” says Alisha. “I understand.”

“You don’t,” Symonne snaps. “None of you could possibly understand that. You all have each other, people to protect and love. Not once have I had the same. I thought I loved Heldalf, but really, was I not simply overcome by my desires to end this world? Did I not simply serve him, sacrifice my freedom once again, because it is all I have ever known?”

“It is difficult to say. But you can choose your own path now. You’re free to do what you like.”

“But I have no idea what I would even want to do.”

Symonne’s eyes glance down as a gloved hand is held out. “You could join us,” says Alisha, smiling brightly.

Symonne’s heart skips a beat as she stares down at that hand held out in front of her. She stares and stares as she grows even more confused as before, wondering if Alisha’s words have made her more sure of herself, or even more uncertain than before.

Either way, Symonne knows one thing. For a moment, she grows tempted to take Alisha’s hand. She finds a desire to join her and the others on their journey. And perhaps, had the two met less spontaneously, Symonne might have said yes.

Instead, she shakes her head. “I would rather not.”

Alisha smiles sadly. “I thought as much.”

“But I … I appreciate the offer, I guess.”

Symonne avoids the eyes which light up and widen. “This time _you’re_ thanking _me?”_ Alisha asks, her voice a little teasing. Symonne huffs and turns away, the greyish skin on her cheeks colouring slightly.

“It will never happen again.”

Alisha chuckles. “All right. Well, I best be heading over to the knights now; I am to meet with Sergei. The offer I’ve made isn’t just for today. If you ever want to become friends, even if it’s years from now, I’m more than willing to.”

Symonne doesn’t answer. The word ‘friends’ is so unfamiliar that she would have no way at all to. Alisha waits for a moment before she begins to walk away. Symonne’s eyes follow her back, her thoughts racing as she tries to make up her mind.

She eventually does so. “I … Squire!”

Alisha turns, looking both surprised and joyful that Symonne called after her. “What is it?”

“Lunarre is planning something,” says Symonne, hurriedly before she changes her mind. “I do not know what, for he has not decided himself yet. He either wants to kill Sorey in front of you, or do the same to all of you in front of him. So … do what you will with that information.”

“Lunarre?” Alisha asks, frowning. “I thought Rose said she killed him?”

Symonne shakes her head. “He is still alive and was the culprit behind all the malevolence in the Elaine Ruins.”

“I see … Thank you for informing me, Symonne. I will inform Rose and the others of his plans.”

“Don’t mention it. Ever again.”

Alisha laughs lightly. “I would never dream of it.”

With those words, the two girls part, both with new thoughts about each other, and Symonne with new emotions than previously.

In fact, they are new emotions in general, ones that she has never experienced in her life. A different kind of pride, one she feels because she has helped others. Hope for a future where she may just be able to control her own life.

She doesn’t think that she will ever be able to admit it properly, nor can she even admit it to herself, but she truly does feel gratitude towards Alisha Diphda.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! This is my last oneshot for the anniversary, however I still have a painting for the final day - you're free to find me on Twitter (SkiaWolf) and/or Tumblr (skia-wolf) for that. I should also have chapter 29 of Swear on Counted Stars up shortly!
> 
> Hopefully you enjoyed my little oneshots! (curse my stupidly deep main fic taking up my writing time and stopping me from doing something bigger)


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